Bond set at $5.1 million for Marshall man charged in wife's slaying

<strong>11:30 AM Update:</strong> Bond has been set at $5 million for a Marshall man charged in connection with his wife's death.

Brad Allen Dunn, 35, was arraigned this morning in Cass County on a charge of first degree murder.

Cass County Sheriff Larry Rowe said Dunn's bond for the murder charge was set at $5 million.

Rowe said an additional $100,000 bond had been levied against Dunn by the Department of Public Safety on a charge of evading arrest with a motor vehicle.

Dunn was arrested by state troopers Sunday on U.S. 59 south of Linden. Dunn was traveling with his 4-year-old daughter. Officials had issued an Amber Alert for the girl.

Kari Rene Dunn was found dead Sunday morning at the Baymont Inn in Marshall after police responded to a disturbance at the motel.

According to a statement released by the Marshall Police Department, Kari Rene Dunn was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene by Harrison County Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Meagan Pinson.

Pinson said Monday that Kari's body had been taken to Tyler for an autopsy to determine cause of death.

Rowe said his office has contacted Marshall police to tell them Dunn is ready to be transported back to Harrison County.

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A Marshall man who earlier had been the target of a statewide search was in jail Sunday night on a charge of murder in connection with the death of his wife.

Brad Allen Dunn, 35, was arrested about 3 p.m. on U.S. 59 south of Linden after being spotted by a civilian responding to an Amber Alert issued earlier.

He was being held late Sunday in the Cass County Jail, according to Detective Sonya L. Johnson of the Marshall Police Department.

Johnson said the incident began with a late Sunday morning call to police regarding a dispute at a Marshall hotel. When officers arrived at the Baymont Inn on East End Boulevard South, they found Kari Rene Dunn, 31, unresponsive. She was later declared dead.

The Amber Alert - a procedure for rapidly publicizing the disappearance of a child - was issued about 1:15 p.m., after investigators determined Dunn's 4-year-old daughter, Kylie, was missing. The alert included a description of Dunn's vehicle and said officials had reason to believe a child was in danger.

Joshua Mason, a sergeant with the Texas Department of Public Safety in Linden, said Dunn was arrested after a civilian spotted his vehicle and called the Cass County Sheriff's Department.

Dunn was arrested by officers of the sheriff's department, DPS and Linden police. The girl, who was with her father when he was arrested, was unharmed. She was released to Child Protective Services, Mason said. Later Sunday, Johnson said Kylie was returned to family members.

The Sunday afternoon manhunt apparently focused on the area west of Marshall after investigators determined Dunn was fleeing toward Dallas. DPS troopers were stationed along Interstate 20 looking for his vehicle, a Longview DPS officer said. Linden, however, is about 35 miles due north of Marshall.

Gregg County Jail records show Dunn has been arrested multiple times, including four times for assault and family violence.

No details had been released late Sunday regarding how Kari Dunn died. Johnson said she was pronounced dead by Harrison County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Meagan Pinson.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cass County Sheriff Larry Rowe said Dunn's bond for the murder charge was set at $5 million.

<p class="MsoNormal">Rowe said an additional $100,000 bond had been levied against Dunn by the Department of Public Safety for the charge of evading arrest with a motor vehicle.

<p class="MsoNormal">Dunn was arrested by state troopers Sunday on U.S. 59 south of Linden and was later charged with the murder of his wife, Kari Rene Dunn, 31.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kari Rene Dunn was found dead Sunday morning at the Baymont Inn in Marshall after Marshall police responded to a disturbance at the motel.

<p class="MsoNormal">According to a statement released by the Marshall Police Department, Kari Rene Dunn was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene by Harrison County Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Meagan Pinson.

<p class="MsoNormal">Pinson said Monday that Kari's body had been taken to Tyler for an autopsy to determine cause of death.

<p class="MsoNormal">Rowe said Cass County Sheriff's Office has contacted Marshall Police Department to inform them that Dunn is ready to be transported back to Harrison County.